This is a breakdown of the 4th Edition Task List.
With contributions from the BACB website, along
with my own, independent ideas, this is what I’ve
organized.
~ Tara Calcanis
BCBA STUDY GUIDE
(4TH EDITION) TASK LIST
, 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTENT PAGE(S)
Content area on BCBA (4th Edition) exam with amount/percentage of questions per section 2
Priority and Chapters per section 3
Chapters, Pages associated, Content, Tasks associated, Task descriptions 4-7
Sorted by Chapter: with breakdown of Percentage of Priority and Task Numbers associated 8 - 10
Sorted by Priority: with breakdown of Percentage of Priority and Task Numbers associated 11 - 14
4th Edition Task List – (BEFORE 1/1/22) 15 – 16
Section 1: A. Measurement 17 – 19
B. Experimental Design
C. Behavior-Change Considerations
D. Fundamental Elements of Behavior-Change
E. Specific Behavior-Change Procedures
F. Behavior-Change Systems
Section 2: G. Identification of the Problem 20 – 22
H. Measurement
I. Assessment
J. Intervention
K. Implementation, Management and Supervision
Section 3: FK. Foundational Knowledge 23 – 25
5th Edition Task List – (AFTER 1/1/22) 26
Section 1: A. Philosophical Underpinnings 27 – 28
B. Concepts and Principles
C. Measurement, Data Display, and Interpretation
D. Experimental Design
Section 2: E. Ethics (Professional & Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts) 28 – 30
F. Behavior Assessment
G. Behavior-Change Procedures
H. Selecting and Implementing Interventions
I. Personnel Supervision and Management
BCBA Coursework Requirements (4th Edition vs 5th Edition) 31
1
, 2
Information per the BACB website (https://www.bacb.com/examination-information/)
2
, 3
Priority was determined by the largest section of the test. Chapters within that section were
identified.
(highest priority 1 – to lowest priority 5)
1. 16% of exam = Content areas D, J
Chapters: 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28
2. 9.5% of exam = Content areas A, E, G, K
Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29
3. 7.5% of exam = Content areas B, I
Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 24, 28
4. 5.5% of exam = Content areas F, H
Chapters: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28
5. 2% of exam = Content area C
Chapters: 12, 14, 15, 21
• Foundational knowledge is throughout the exam and is not calculated by questions, these are
individual chapters containing this section.
o Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28
• The following are items on the task list but not adequately covered in Cooper:
o Experimental Design: B-10
o Behavior-Change Systems: F-03, F-08
o Identification of the Problem: G-02, G-04
o Intervention: J-01, J-03, J-09, J-14
o Implementation, Management, and Supervision: K-01, K-04, K-05, K-06
3
With contributions from the BACB website, along
with my own, independent ideas, this is what I’ve
organized.
~ Tara Calcanis
BCBA STUDY GUIDE
(4TH EDITION) TASK LIST
, 1
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CONTENT PAGE(S)
Content area on BCBA (4th Edition) exam with amount/percentage of questions per section 2
Priority and Chapters per section 3
Chapters, Pages associated, Content, Tasks associated, Task descriptions 4-7
Sorted by Chapter: with breakdown of Percentage of Priority and Task Numbers associated 8 - 10
Sorted by Priority: with breakdown of Percentage of Priority and Task Numbers associated 11 - 14
4th Edition Task List – (BEFORE 1/1/22) 15 – 16
Section 1: A. Measurement 17 – 19
B. Experimental Design
C. Behavior-Change Considerations
D. Fundamental Elements of Behavior-Change
E. Specific Behavior-Change Procedures
F. Behavior-Change Systems
Section 2: G. Identification of the Problem 20 – 22
H. Measurement
I. Assessment
J. Intervention
K. Implementation, Management and Supervision
Section 3: FK. Foundational Knowledge 23 – 25
5th Edition Task List – (AFTER 1/1/22) 26
Section 1: A. Philosophical Underpinnings 27 – 28
B. Concepts and Principles
C. Measurement, Data Display, and Interpretation
D. Experimental Design
Section 2: E. Ethics (Professional & Ethical Compliance Code for Behavior Analysts) 28 – 30
F. Behavior Assessment
G. Behavior-Change Procedures
H. Selecting and Implementing Interventions
I. Personnel Supervision and Management
BCBA Coursework Requirements (4th Edition vs 5th Edition) 31
1
, 2
Information per the BACB website (https://www.bacb.com/examination-information/)
2
, 3
Priority was determined by the largest section of the test. Chapters within that section were
identified.
(highest priority 1 – to lowest priority 5)
1. 16% of exam = Content areas D, J
Chapters: 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 28
2. 9.5% of exam = Content areas A, E, G, K
Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29
3. 7.5% of exam = Content areas B, I
Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 24, 28
4. 5.5% of exam = Content areas F, H
Chapters: 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28
5. 2% of exam = Content area C
Chapters: 12, 14, 15, 21
• Foundational knowledge is throughout the exam and is not calculated by questions, these are
individual chapters containing this section.
o Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 23, 25, 28
• The following are items on the task list but not adequately covered in Cooper:
o Experimental Design: B-10
o Behavior-Change Systems: F-03, F-08
o Identification of the Problem: G-02, G-04
o Intervention: J-01, J-03, J-09, J-14
o Implementation, Management, and Supervision: K-01, K-04, K-05, K-06
3
